A 23-year-old woman is described with confluent yellowish-white papules and plaques on the face. This was associated with hyperplasia of sebaceous glands. There was no clinical evidence of seborrhoea or anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. This is considered to be a separate and distinctive clinical and pathological entity.
Case reportMiss H.G., a worker with mentally handicapped children, was 23 years old when she first came to the Royal Free Hospital in October 1980. She had noticed white streaks on the face and chin for about 18 months and thought their appearances were getting worse. There were no other symptoms. She had not noticed any increased tendency to greasiness. She had had no significant illnesses in the past and no one in the family had any similar problems.On examination there were yellowish-white papules and plaques on the chin and cheeks (Fig. i). Jn some areas, especially over the chin, these were confluent and sheet-like, but over the upper part of the face there was a tendency to peri-follicular arrangement (Fig. 2). There was some thinning of the outer part of the eyebrows, but no significant inflammation or scarring of this area. There were no comedones or inflammatory acne lesions. The skin did not feel abnormally greasy. The rest of the skin was normal, as were her hair and nails. She had two missing teeth, peg-shaped upper lateral incisors and some malalignment, but these findings were within normal limits and did not represent part of an ectodermal dysplasia. A full physical examination was unremarkable.The following investigations were performed and were negative or normal: Full blood